Where Wilmington permits live
COAST runs on Tyler EnerGov. For addresses, the County's FAQ says to search "with the address number and the first few letters of the street name until you see the correct address appear". If a permit is on hold by the City, City of Wilmington Zoning is on 910-254-0900.
The County does not describe a contractor search, and it names the contractor on only about half of recent trade permits. Our compare pages group the permits that do name one by firm.
How to look up the permits on a Wilmington address
- Open COAST and choose the public search.
- Type the house number and the first few letters of the street name, then pick the address as it appears.
- Open each permit for its status and inspections.
- On a trade permit, check the contractor named is the one you hired. A blank means the County did not record one.
- Questions about COAST go to coast@nhcgov.com.
How to read Wilmington permit statuses
These are the statuses we read in the County's permit records:
| Status in the record | What it means | Finished in our data? |
|---|---|---|
| Complete | Final inspection passed | Yes |
| Certificate of Occupancy (CO) Issued | New home or addition signed off | Yes |
| Certificate of Compliance (CC) Issued | Work signed off | Yes |
| Issued | Work allowed, not yet finaled | Not yet |
| Expired | Lapsed before final | No |
Deck, porch and window permits often sit open until they expire, so their finished shares are low for every firm. Completion rates are adjusted for permit age (Wilmington about page, methodology).
When the permit you want is not online
For an older permit that is not in COAST, contact New Hanover County Building Safety through its Building Safety page or the COAST team at coast@nhcgov.com. The County's pages we read do not set out a separate request process for old permit files.
What our Wilmington file adds
COAST answers "what was permitted at this address". We answer "what does this firm's Wilmington record look like".
| Trade | Permits | Firms | Finished | Usual days to final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 2,576 | 293 | 89.2% | 27 |
| Electrical | 1,662 | 414 | 83.0% | 54 |
| Plumbing | 967 | 246 | 82.4% | 78 |
| Gas line | 827 | 149 | 83.4% | 30 |
| New home | 1,717 | 222 | 96.8% | 244 |
| Remodel | 591 | 259 | 56.0% | 231 |
2,387 firms pulled the 11,287 permits. "Finished" is the share of permits a year or more old that the County marked complete or issued a certificate for.
The Wilmington permit statistics page has the same file by trade, year and month; the firm lists are on the HVAC, electrical and remodel compare pages. To check the licence behind a name on a permit, use the Wilmington contractor license lookup; to check whether your job needs a permit at all, see Do I need a permit?.
See every Wilmington HVAC contractor by finished permits →
What this does not tell you
Only permits inside Wilmington are in our view; the beach towns and unincorporated county are not. On most building permits the recorded value is the County's fee-table valuation, not a price. Our file covers October 2023 to September 2026.
How we know this
Portal details are quoted from New Hanover County's Building Safety page and FAQ, read 23 October 2026. Statuses are from the County's permit records on homes inside Wilmington, October 2023 to September 2026.
Numbers come from New Hanover County Building Safety permits on homes inside the City of Wilmington (the County issues the City's building permits), data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How do I find out if a permit was pulled on my house in Wilmington?
Search the address in New Hanover County's COAST portal. The County issues building permits for homes inside Wilmington; type the house number and the first few letters of the street name.
- Are Wilmington building permits public record?
Yes. The County's COAST portal lets you look up and track permits, and New Hanover County Building Safety holds the files for homes inside Wilmington.
- Who issues building permits in Wilmington, NC?
New Hanover County Building Safety. The City of Wilmington handles zoning; if a permit is on hold by the City, City Zoning is on 910-254-0900.
- Can I search Wilmington permits by contractor?
The County does not describe one, and it records a contractor on only about half of trade permits. Our Wilmington compare pages group the permits that name one by firm.
- How long does a Wilmington permit take to final?
In our file the usual HVAC permit finaled in 27 days, electrical in 54 and a new home in 244.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Bellevue building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Wilmington, NC contractor license lookup: which state board, the County's COAST portal and the permits
- Ames contractor license lookup: Iowa registration, electrical and PMSB licenses, and the City permits
- Anaheim building permit search: Anaheim NEXT and the Building Permit Report
- Do I need an electrical permit in Wilmington, NC? Outlets, lights, service changes and generators: the County chart, the $60 fee, inspections
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Wilmington, NC? Yes, two of them: the County's rule, the $60 fees and how often installers finish
For one city
- Wilmington, NC historic district rules: Certificates of Appropriateness, minor vs major works, fees and timing
- Do I need a new home permit in Wilmington, NC? The County's per-square-foot fee, the at-risk foundation option and builders' timelines
- Do I need a plumbing permit in Wilmington, NC? The County chart, the water heater exemption and the $60 fee